This invention relates to a novel dicarboxylic acid derivative having antihypertensive activity and/or heart failure curing activity, and a process for preparing the same.
It has been known that atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) secreted from atrial myocytes having strong diuretic, natriuretic and vasodilating activities and inhibiting activity on renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is effective for curing hypertension and heart failure. However, ANP itself is a polypeptide and poorly absorbed in the digestive tracts, so that its administration route is limited to the parenteral route. On the other hand, it has been known that ANP is inactivated by neutral metalloendopeptidase, and the inhibitor of that enzyme increases the concentration of ANP in the blood and can also be used as a medicine for curing hypertension and/or heart failure.